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Whenever radish is in season, I love turning it into these crispy stuffed pancakes. The hot-water dough creates a tender wrapper that stays soft even after cooling, while the filling is juicy and savory.

With sweet radish, chewy glass noodles, and fragrant pork inside, each bite is incredibly satisfying and perfect for breakfast or a quick homemade meal.

The result is a delicious homemade Chinese savory pancake that’s comforting, fragrant, and surprisingly easy to make.

Why you’ll love this recipe

Crispy outside, soft inside – the hot-water dough keeps the wrapper tender even after cooling.
Juicy, flavorful filling – radish, pork, and glass noodles absorb the savory seasonings beautifully.
Perfect for breakfast or snacks – hearty and satisfying without being complicated.
Great texture contrast – crunchy crust with soft noodles and juicy filling.
Versatile filling – easy to customize with different vegetables or even make vegetarian.

If you enjoy savory fillings with glass noodles, you may also love Soy Sauce Pork & Glass Noodle Steamed Buns, Cabbage and Glass Noodle Steamed Dumplings, or Radish, Egg & Glass Noodle Stuffed Pancake, all of which use flavorful noodle fillings that soak up delicious sauces.

Ingredients

Hot Water Dough

500g all-purpose flour
170g boiling water
150g cold water
10g cooking oil (approx., for elasticity)
20g dry flour (for dusting)

Filling

400g white radish or green radish
80g dried glass noodles (broken)
300g ground pork (70% lean / 30% fat)
30g chopped scallions
10g minced ginger

Seasoning

20g seasoned cooking oil
6g salt
2g MSG (optional)
2g ground Sichuan pepper
2g white pepper
15g light soy sauce
5g dark soy sauce
10g oyster sauce
5g chicken bouillon (optional)

Instructions

1. Make the hot-water dough

Place 500g flour in a large bowl. Pour in 170g boiling water and quickly stir with chopsticks until the flour forms shaggy clumps. Add 150g cold water and continue mixing until no dry flour remains.

Add 10g oil and knead into a dough. While still warm, cut the dough into several pieces and let them rest for 10 minutes to cool.

Once cooled, knead the dough again until smooth and elastic. Cover with plastic wrap and let it rest for at least 30 minutes so the gluten relaxes.

2. Prepare the filling

Soak the glass noodles
Place 80g dried glass noodles in a bowl and cover with boiling water. Soak for about 10 minutes until softened. Drain well.

Prepare the radish
Shred the radish into coarse strips. Blanch in boiling water for 1 minute to remove the raw taste. Rinse briefly in cold water, then squeeze out as much moisture as possible. Roughly chop.

Cook the pork filling
Heat 20g cooking oil in a pan. Add ground pork and stir-fry over high heat until the moisture cooks off and the fat begins to render.

Season with salt, MSG, Sichuan pepper, white pepper, light soy sauce, dark soy sauce, oyster sauce, and chicken bouillon. Stir-fry for about 1 minute until fragrant.

Add the softened glass noodles and stir until they absorb the sauce.

Transfer the mixture into the bowl with the radish, then add scallions and ginger. Mix thoroughly and let the filling cool slightly.

3. Divide dough and roll wrappers

Knead the rested dough briefly, then divide it into 30–40g pieces.

Dust lightly with flour and roll each piece into a thin wrapper. Shape it slightly oval, keeping the edges thinner than the center to prevent tearing.

Place a generous amount of filling in the center. Fold the wrapper in half, press out any trapped air, and seal the edges. Crimp into decorative pleats if desired.

4. Pan-fry the stuffed pancakes

Preheat a skillet over medium-low heat and add a thin layer of oil.

Place the stuffed pancakes into the pan and lightly brush or spray a little oil on top. Cover with a lid.

Cook until the bottom turns golden brown, then flip and continue cooking. Flip every 1 minute or so to ensure even browning.

Since the filling is already cooked, fry until both sides are crispy and golden and the pancake slightly puffs. Serve hot.

Notes

Hot-water dough ratio matters. Boiling water softens the dough while cold water adds elasticity, creating a wrapper that stays soft after cooking.
Remove excess moisture from the radish. Squeezing the radish well prevents the filling from becoming watery.
Cook the pork until slightly oily. This keeps the filling flavorful and prevents the pancake wrapper from breaking during frying.
Glass noodles are key. They absorb the sauce and hold the filling together while adding a soft, chewy texture.
Use medium-low heat when frying. This allows the wrapper to become crisp without burning.

Frequently Asked Questions

1. Can I make this recipe vegetarian?
Yes. Simply omit the pork and add scrambled egg, tofu, or mushrooms. The radish and glass noodles will still create a flavorful filling.

2. What kind of radish works best?
Both white radish (daikon) and green radish work well. White radish is sweeter, while green radish has a slightly peppery flavor.

3. Why blanch the radish first?
Blanching removes the strong raw flavor and helps soften the texture, making the filling more balanced.

4. Can I freeze these pancakes?
Yes. Freeze the assembled uncooked pancakes. Cook them directly from frozen over low heat, adding a little extra cooking time.

5. Why does my wrapper break while frying?
This usually happens if the radish isn’t squeezed dry or the filling is too wet. Ensuring the filling is relatively dry helps prevent tearing.

Crispy Radish, Glass Noodle & Pork Stuffed Pancakes (Hot Water Dough)

These stuffed pancakes combine a crispy golden exterior with a soft interior and a flavorful, hearty filling. The radish brings natural sweetness, the glass noodles soak up the savory sauce, and the pork adds rich umami. The result is a delicious homemade Chinese savory pancake that’s comforting, fragrant, and surprisingly easy to make.

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Ingredients

Hot Water Dough

500 g all-purpose flour
170 g boiling water
150 g cold water
10 g cooking oil approx., for elasticity
20 g dry flour for dusting

Filling

400 g white radish or green radish
80 g dried glass noodles broken
300 g ground pork 70% lean / 30% fat
30 g chopped scallions
10 g minced ginger

Seasoning

20 g seasoned cooking oil
6 g salt
2 g MSG optional
2 g ground Sichuan pepper
2 g white pepper
15 g light soy sauce
5 g dark soy sauce
10 g oyster sauce
5 g chicken bouillon optional

Instructions

Make the hot-water dough

Place 500g flour in a large bowl. Pour in 170g boiling water and quickly stir with chopsticks until the flour forms shaggy clumps. Add 150g cold water and continue mixing until no dry flour remains.
Add 10g oil and knead into a dough. While still warm, cut the dough into several pieces and let them rest for 10 minutes to cool.
Once cooled, knead the dough again until smooth and elastic. Cover with plastic wrap and let it rest for at least 30 minutes so the gluten relaxes.

Prepare the filling

Soak the glass noodles
Place 80g dried glass noodles in a bowl and cover with boiling water. Soak for about 10 minutes until softened. Drain well.
Prepare the radish
Shred the radish into coarse strips. Blanch in boiling water for 1 minute to remove the raw taste. Rinse briefly in cold water, then squeeze out as much moisture as possible. Roughly chop.
Cook the pork filling
Heat 20g cooking oil in a pan. Add ground pork and stir-fry over high heat until the moisture cooks off and the fat begins to render.
Season with salt, MSG, Sichuan pepper, white pepper, light soy sauce, dark soy sauce, oyster sauce, and chicken bouillon. Stir-fry for about 1 minute until fragrant.
Add the softened glass noodles and stir until they absorb the sauce.
Transfer the mixture into the bowl with the radish, then add scallions and ginger. Mix thoroughly and let the filling cool slightly.

Divide dough and roll wrappers

Knead the rested dough briefly, then divide it into 30–40g pieces.
Dust lightly with flour and roll each piece into a thin wrapper. Shape it slightly oval, keeping the edges thinner than the center to prevent tearing.
Place a generous amount of filling in the center. Fold the wrapper in half, press out any trapped air, and seal the edges. Crimp into decorative pleats if desired.

Pan-fry the stuffed pancakes

Preheat a skillet over medium-low heat and add a thin layer of oil.
Place the stuffed pancakes into the pan and lightly brush or spray a little oil on top. Cover with a lid.
Cook until the bottom turns golden brown, then flip and continue cooking. Flip every 1 minute or so to ensure even browning.
Since the filling is already cooked, fry until both sides are crispy and golden and the pancake slightly puffs. Serve hot.